LOUISVILLE — Eight minutes passed between the final buzzer of Louisville’s 75-61 win over Notre Dame and the Cardinals’ departure off the court at the KFC Yum Center. The three graduate transfers on the roster spoke to the remaining crowd, thanking them and talking of high NCAA Tournament hopes.

Then, when the speeches finished, the players made their way toward the locker room. Out in front of their teammates, Steven Enoch and V.J. King raced each other in a sprint. Enoch won, but King, a junior wing, was close behind, grinning and laughing the entire dash. There were plenty of smiles to go around, and coach Chris Mack spoke of a certain sense of relief in his post-game interviews.

The bottom line on Sunday is this: Louisville desperately needed not only to win but to win in a way that recharged its confidence after a frustrating slog through February. The Cardinals (19-11, 10-7 ACC) lost six of their eight games in February, including three straight...